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By the
summer of
1944, the
destroyer
MELVIN
(DD‑680) was
part of the
island-hopping
operations
of the
Marianas
Campaign and
was engaged,
primarily in
hunting down
and
destroying
the enemy’s
submarine
force that
threatened
Allied
invasion
forces. At
2206 on the
night of 13
June 1944,
the MELVIN’s
radar picked
up the RO-36
on the
surface and
her guns
quickly
scored a
hit. The
boat dove,
but couldn’t
escape. By
2239, the
destroyer’s
sonar found
her, and six
minutes
later she
loosed the
first of
three
depth-charge
attacks that
sent the
submarine to
the bottom.
She was
steaming off
northern
Saipan a few
hours later
when her
guns sent an
enemy
merchantman
to the
bottom.
Continuing
through the
summer with
the Allied
advance from
Saipan to
Tinian,
Palau, and
Hollandia,
the MELVIN
arrived at
Guadalcanal
in
mid-September
and at
month’s end
took part in
the capture
and
occupation
of the
southern
Palaus. On
11 October,
she screened
landing
craft during
the assault
on Dulag.
Shortly
after
midnight on
20 October,
she steamed
into the
Leyte Gulf
where she
engaged in
screening
patrols
between
Dinagat and
Hibuson
Islands.
In the early
hours of the
26th, she
joined
DesRon 54 in
the torpedo
attack that
opened the
Battle of
Surigao
Strait. With
the REMEY
(DD‑688) and
MCGOWAN
(DD‑678) of
the Eastern
Attack
Group, the
MELVIN began
launching
torpedoes
soon after
0300. Two of
her
torpedoes
found their
mark,
tearing into
the
battleship
FUSO, which
exploded and
sank at
about 0338.
Following
their
attack, the
destroyers
retired up
the Dinagat
coast to
Hibuson.
Within 48
hours, the
MELVIN was
en route to
Hollandia,
and duty
escorting
convoys
resupplying
the
Philippines.
Subsequent
escort
duties took
the MELVIN
to the
Lingayen
Gulf, where
on 11
January
1945, she
provided
illumination
and fire
support
during the
assault on
Luzon. The
following
month found
her
screening
the fast
carriers of
TF 38/58 as
they steamed
north to
launch their
planes
against
Honshu and
to provide
direct air
cover for
the Iwo Jima
campaign. On
the 21st,
the MELVIN
aided the
damaged
SARATOGA
(CV‑3) in
her fight
against
fires and
enemy
planes,
splashing
three, and,
then,
escorted her
to Eniwetok
for repairs.
Her next
major action
was with the
fast
carriers for
the 1 April
invasion of
Okinawa. For
the next 61
days, the
MELVIN
remained at
sea,
guarding the
carriers,
providing
fire support
for the
troops
ashore, and
patrolling
on picket
station. She
continued
her
screening
duties in
the Ryukyus
and during
raids on
Kyushu
through June
and was with
the carriers
on 1 July as
they steamed
north for
their last
deployment
against
Japan. She
operated
with the
carrier
force off
the enemy's
homeland, as
its planes
bombed
industrial
and military
centers on
Honshu and
Hokkaido.
The MELVIN
left the
carriers on
10 August to
join TF 92
in an
anti‑shipping
sweep and
bombardment
of
Paramushiro
in the
Aleutians.
She was in
Adak when
she received
word of the
Japanese
surrender,
and new
orders to
return to
Japan for
occupation
duty with
minesweepers
off Northern
Honshu. On
12 October
she departed
for the
United
States and
decommissioning
at San Diego
on 31 May
1946.
The MELVIN
received 10
battle stars
for her
World War II
service.
Admiral
Barry
Atkins, who
was the
MELVIN’s
commanding
officer at
the time of
the sinking
of the FUSO
died this
past
November at
his home in
Richmond,
Virginia. He
was 94.
Admiral
Atkins was a
1932
graduate of
the U.S.
Naval
Academy and
retired from
the navy in
1959. He was
awarded the
Navy Cross
for
“extraordinary
heroism” at
the Battle
of Surigao
Straits.
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